A check for $17,000 from Ice Castle Fish Houses will help keep Lets Go Fishing going for years to come.

By Jeremy Jonesstaff writer

A check for $17,000 from Ice Castle Fish Houses will help keep Lets Go Fishing going for years to come.

Last June, when the Let’s Go Fishing pontoon and the supplies onboard were stolen overnight from the True Value parking lot, a resource used to enrich the lives of people age 60 and older was gone from the Montevideo community.

Despite an investigation, and the cooperation of people all around the state, the pontoon and equipment, valued at $11,000 was never found. The theft came as a shock to the community.

“It’s used all summer long for several outings for anybody who wants to go fishing, senior citizens included,” Amy Reidinger with Community Education told the American-News when the pontoon was stolen.

In September, thanks to help from around the state and from numerous organizations and individuals in Montevideo, the pontoon was replaced. Other Let’s Go Fishing chapters from around the state sent in money, as did the Lac qui Parle Lake Association and the American Legion.

The cost of the new pontoon was $35,000. Insurance covered $15,000 of that cost. There was still plenty of equipment to replace, and ongoing costs of operation and upkeep.

Before the pontoon was replaced, Ice Castle Fish Houses indicated that they would be donating proceeds from their Ice Castle Classic fishing contest to Let’s Go Fishing. Even with the pontoon replaced, Ice Castle Fish Houses carried through with their commitment; The $17,000 donation will be used to help finish paying off the boat, to replace equipment, and to help with ongoing operating costs in the coming years.

The new pontoon was taken out once last year, before the cold weather set in, and it seemed to be working great, according to Don Lawson, board president of the Montevideo Let’s Go Fishing chapter. It will be available again once things warm up.

Instead of six seats, the new pontoon come with 10, and a bigger engine. In order to prevent the theft from being repeated, the hitch is now locked with a key instead of a pad lock.

Let’s Go Fishing can be contacted at the Montevideo Community Education Office at (320) 269-5026